The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-11-26
Compiled for The ArkGnSGw TrGueSer. SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY

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 The sum of s1 ,O00 900 has been be- queathed by MT. Richard Berrige for use in advancing economic and sani- tary science in Great Britain.
 The weather bibliography of Prof. Cleveland Abbe, upon which he has been at work several years, catalogues some 52,o00 books and pamphlets upon meteorological subjects.
 The injurious effects of many lio- uors are ascribed by M. Bacchi to fur furol. This is colorless liquid, with a cinnamon odor. Very small doses produce symptoms of lockjaw and ep- ilepsy in dogs.
 A supposed meteoric found at Aix- la- -Chapelle in 1762 has lately been examined by Prof. Arzruni, and pro- nounced slag from some primitive fur mace. The immense mass weighs four tons, and the date ot it's origin cannot be guessed.
 A so-called cable anchor has proven effective in stopping steamers on the Seine. The device is due to NJ. Pagan, and consists simply of a rope bearing number of canvas cones which open out like parachutes when thrown into the water. In tests made, stoppage was effected in tenth of the space and fourth of the time ordinarily re- quired.
 At late meeting in London, Dr. E. P. Thwing stated that Americans are more susceptible to the influence of alcohol than Englishmen, and that they are more affected by tobacco than are Holianders, Turks or Chinese. This he supposes to be due to an in- creased sensitiveness of the nervous system induced by the high pressure life of this country.
 FooD- INSTINCT OF BIRps.-It is re- ported that in Peru and other parts of South America this years fruit has been avoided by birds, while it has caused the death of sheep and cat tie when fed to them in large quanti- ties. These observations have been | cited as tending to show that the in- stinct of birds with respect to the wholsomeness of fruits is freouentIy a worthy guide for human beings to follow. The possibility is suggested that the variation in the fruit of diff ferent years may have something to do with outbreaks of cholera.
 MARMoT TILLAGE.-It appears that marmots, like earthworms, have con- siderable influence in modifying the soil. During recent explorations in the Caspian steppes, Prof. Mushketof' found that the marmots, though they made their first appearance in the re- zion only few years ago, have al- ready covered hundreds of square miles with their heaps of earth. These heaps average some eleven by eight feet ill length and breath, and from one to two feet in height; and it may be safely asserted that in each square mile of the area covered more than 100, 900 cubic yards of earth have been brought to the surface by the little creatures. The effect upon vegetation is quite apparent.
 CHAMELEON COLoR.-The complex mechanism of the chameleon's chang ing hughes is thus described by Mir. Grant Allen: Tiny corpuscles of diff ferent pigments are sometimes hidden in the depths of the chameleon's skin, and sometimes spread out on its sur face in an interlacing network of brown or purple. In addition to this prime coloring- matter, however, the animal also possesses a yellow pig ment, and bluish layer in the skin, which acts like the iridium glass so largely employed by Dr. Salviati, be- ing seen as straw colored with a transmitted light, but assuming a faint lilac tint against an opaque sur face. While sleeping the chameleon becomes almost white in the shade, but if light falls upon him, he slowly darkens by an automatic process. The movements of the corpuscles are goverened Ly opposite nerves and muscles, which either cause them to bury themselves under the true skin, or to form an opaque ground behind the blue layer, or to spread out in a ramifying mass on the outer surface, and so produce almost any necessary shade of gray, green, black or yellow.